Recent studies, including one highlighted by Brigham Women's Hospital and published in Nature, have revealed that astrocytes, non-immune cells within the central nervous system, are capable of developing an 'immune memory.' This discovery, which has been associated with conditions like multiple sclerosis and Long Covid, could have significant implications for understanding and treating central nervous system pathologies. The research indicates that astrocytes can become reactive around leaky blood vessels, inducing neuroinflammatory responses and potentially attacking surrounding neurons, a finding shared under the #MicroscopyMonday hashtag.
Nature research paper: Disease-associated astrocyte epigenetic memory promotes CNS pathology https://t.co/mZUkmttV1n
Astrocytes Remember: A New Layer of Immune Memory Uncovered Researchers have made a pioneering discovery that astrocytes, cells within the central nervous system traditionally not associated with immune functions, are capable of developing what's being called an "immune memory."… https://t.co/UAMn6GgKEa
Study finds non-immune brain cells can acquire immune memory, may drive CNS pathologies like multiple sclerosis @BrighamWomens https://t.co/mpLyML7X3V
Inflammatory memory in non-immune CNS-resident and non-neuronal cells.l 🤔 v cool stuff! https://t.co/aiNs5g0WYg
That's what a leaky blood vessel looks like in the microscope. Astrocytes (🟡Gfap) around the blood vessel become reactive, inducing neuroinflammatory responses and attacking the surrounding neurons (🔵Neun) in the pathway. #MicroscopyMonday #LongCovid https://t.co/OPIqUEAHUA https://t.co/qRNzgw7iRn